KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Clay County presiding commissioner Jerry Nolte said "the process continues" after the county announced Wednesday morning the Royals did not accept its latest stadium offer before a Jan. 8 deadline.
The deadline would have allowed enough time for public input and a formal vote by the county commission to put a stadium funding measure on the April ballot, Clay County said.
Nolte said the deadline was not set by either the county or the Royals but rather the electoral calendar.
“In the case of Clay County, we cannot go forward without a vote from the people," Nolte said.
Clay County has proposed a nearly 100-acre site near 18th Avenue and Fayette Street in North Kansas City. Nolte said there is enough space at the site to develop an entertainment district surrounding the proposed stadium.
It's been nearly three years of negotiations between Clay County and the Royals. The Clay County Commission appointed commissioners Jay Johnson, Jon Carpenter and Scott Wagner to lead the county's negotiations, per a press release from Clay County.
“I wish they (the Royals) would make a decision," said Beth Fleck, co-owner of Christine's Firehouse. "We want to support them no matter what, so I’m ready for a decision.”
Christine's Firehouse is less than half a mile from the proposed North Kansas City site. Fleck said she would expect even more customers on game days if the Royals moved to Clay County.
“We have an amazing patio back there, too," she said. "Could you imagine watching a game and hearing a game in the distance?”
Nolte said Clay County is not focused on competing with other proposed sites across the Kansas City metro area. He said the focus is on prioritizing Clay County taxpayers.
“There’s been some thought that we might be used as a negotiating point or a pawn of some sort," Nolte said. "As long as we stay focused on what is good with the people, that is not overly relevant. We’re not competing for a prize. We are competing for what is the best opportunity for Clay County citizens."
Nolte said the nearly 100-acre site is currently under one ownership, which he says makes negotiations easier.
RELATED | 1 Clay County commissioner pulls back from Royals talks; Discussions continue with KCMO mayor
On Jan. 7, Clay County commissioner Jason Withington said he was "done" negotiating with the Royals. In his social media post, he said as an August 2025 deadline for the Royals to be on the November 2025 ballot approached, the franchise said it wanted to move to the April 2026 ballot.
KSHB 41 reporter Lily O'Shea Becker asked Nolte whether there's a chance for a Royals stadium measure to be placed on the November ballot.
“Well, certainly the calendar would say so," Nolte said.
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